2. Do not be surprised that the whole world is redeemed, for He who died for it was not a mere man, but the Only-begotten Son of God. The sin of one man, Adam, could bring death to the world. But if death reigned in the world by one sin (Romans 5:17), then will not life reign more by the righteousness of the One? And if then they were expelled from paradise for eating of the tree, then is it not more convenient now for believers to enter paradise through the tree of Jesus? If the first created from the earth brought about universal death, then can not He who created him from the earth bring eternal life, being life Himself? If Phinehas, having killed in jealousy a man who was a cold-acting, ceased the wrath of God (Num. 25:8), then Jesus, having not killed another, but having given Himself for redemption, cannot He quench His wrath against people (1 Tim. 2:6)?

3. Therefore let us not be ashamed of the Cross of the Saviour, but rather let us boast of it. For the word of the Cross is a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:18), foolishness to the Gentiles, but salvation to us: foolishness to those who perish, but the power of God is to those who are saved (ibid.). For He who died for us was not a mere man, as it is said, but the Son of God, God made man. Moreover, if the Lamb in the time of Moses removed the Angel who destroyed (Exodus 12:23), then will not the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, deliver from sins? (John 1:29) The blood of the dumb lamb brought salvation, will not the blood of the Only-begotten save more? If anyone does not believe in the power of the Crucified One, let him ask the evil spirits. If anyone does not believe the words, let him believe what he sees: many were crucified in the world, but the evil spirits are not afraid of any of them. For they died for their own sins, and Jesus for the sins of others, for sin thou shalt not commit, neither shall deceit be found in His mouth, which is reproached, and not reproached against (1 Peter 2:22-23). It is not Peter who says this, otherwise it would be possible to suspect him of caressing the Teacher, but Isaiah, who was not then in the body, but in the spirit foresaw His bodily coming (Isaiah 53:9). And why should I bring one prophet as a witness now? Here is the testimony of Pilate himself, who, having condemned Him, said: "I find not a single fault in this man" (Luke 23:14). And giving Him up, who was given to him, and having washed His hands, He said: "I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One" (Matt. 27:24). There is also another witness to the innocence of Jesus, the thief who entered paradise first of all, who, reproaching him who is with him, says: "We are worthy according to our deeds." But do not a single evil (Luke 23:41), but I and you were subject to condemnation.

4. Thus, Jesus truly suffered for all people, for the Cross is not a dream, nor a dream and redemption. If death was only a phantom, then those are just, who said: "Remember, for he is a flatterer who is still alive" (Matt. 27:63). Therefore suffering is true, for truly He was crucified, and we are not ashamed of it, crucified and not denied, but I still boast when I speak of it. And even if I were to deny it, then this Golgotha, near which we are all now now, would now denounce me, the tree of the Cross, parts of which are given to the whole universe. I confess the Cross because I know about the resurrection. For if Jesus had remained crucified, I might not have confessed Him, perhaps I would have kept silent about it with my Teacher. But since the Cross was followed by the Resurrection, I am not ashamed to tell about it.

5. So He was crucified like all others in the flesh, but not for similar sins. He was not led to death for covetousness, for He was the Teacher of poverty, nor was He condemned for carnal lust, for He Himself clearly says: "If thou lookest upon a woman to lust after her, thou hast already committed fornication with her" (Matt. 5:28), not for a bold blow or a beating, for He also turned another to him who smote the cheek, not for contempt of the law, for He was the doer of the law, not for the reproach of the prophet, for He Himself was proclaimed by the prophets, not for the withholding of wages, for He Himself served without payment and gratuitously, not for sins in word, or in deed, or in thought, He did not sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who were not reproached against him, did not forbid suffering (and Peter 2:22-23), He did not go to suffering against His will, but voluntarily. If anyone were to rebuke Him even now, saying: "Thou art merciful, O Lord," He would again answer: "Follow me, Satan" (Matt. 16:22-23).

6. And do you want to be convinced that He voluntarily went to suffer? Others die in bondage, or unexpectedly, but He foretold of His suffering: "Behold, the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified" (Matt. 26:2). And do you know why the Lover of Mankind did not escape death? In order that the world may not perish completely because of sins. Behold, we ascend to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed, and He shall be crucified (Matt. 20:18), and in another place: "Establish thy face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51). And do you want to know for sure that the Cross is the glory of Jesus? Listen not to mine, but to His own words. Judas, who had become ungrateful to the Householder, betrayed Him soon after he had left the table, after drinking the cup of blessing, went to shed righteous blood for a saving drink: he who eats His bread magnificently stumbles upon Him (Psalm 40:10). His hands had just received blessings, and immediately he was preparing a treacherous death for silver. Though he was rebuked and heard the words: "Thou hast spoken ecu" (Matt. 26:25), nevertheless he went. Then, Jesus said: "The hour has come, that the Son of Man may be glorified" (John 12:23). Do you see that He finds His glory in the Cross? Is it not dishonorable for Isaiah that he was sawn, is it dishonorable for Christ to die for the world? Now the Son of Man is glorified (John 13:31). This does not mean that He did not have glory before, for He was glorified with glory before the foundation of the world, He, as God, was always glorified, and now He is glorified because He is crowned with the crown of patience. He did not forsake his life out of necessity, nor was he forcibly killed, listen to what He says: "The province of the Imam shall lay down My soul, and the region of the Imam shall receive it" (John 10:18). Of my own free will I allow My enemies, for if I had not willed, it would not have happened. And so, of His own free will, He went to suffering, rejoicing in the accomplishment of the deed, rejoicing in the crown, and comforting in human salvation. He was not ashamed of the Cross, for He saved the world with it, because the sufferer was not a weak man, but God incarnate and striving for the feat of patience.

7. But the Jews contradict this, always ready to contradict, but not disposed to the faith, wherefore the prophet now read says: Lord! who believes in our hearing (Isaiah 53:1)? The Persians believe, but the Jews do not. They will see, to whom it will not be announced about Him, and whoever has not heard, they will understand (Isaiah 52:15), but those who have practiced in this will reject what they have practiced. They contradict us and say, "Is the Lord suffering?" Can human hands overcome the Lord? Read the Book of Lamentations, for Jeremiah, who mourns for you, wrote in his lamentations that which was worthy of weeping, he saw your destruction, he saw your falling away, he wept over the Jerusalem of that time, for the present one should not mourn, since he crucified Christ, and the present one worships Christ. Thus, the mourning prophet says: "The spirit of our face anointed (Christ) the Lord shall be in our corruptions" (Lamentations 4:20). Is this my fiction? Here the prophet testifies that Christ the Lord was taken by people. What will happen from this? Tell me, prophet! And he says, "Of Him we shall dwell in His shadow in the tongue" (ibid.), divination, he says, that the grace of life will no longer be in Israel, but in the nations.

8. But since we hear many contradictions from them, now, with the help of your prayers, as much as the brevity of time allows, with the help of the grace of God, let us offer a few testimonies about suffering. For everything that pertains to Christ is written, and there is nothing doubtful, because there is nothing without testimony. Everything is written in the prophetic books, not on boards of stone, but written clearly by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when you hear the words of the Gospel about Judas, must you not have testimony against them? Thou hast heard that (Christ) was pierced in the rib with a spear, must thou not know whether it is not written of this also (John 19:34)? Having heard that He was crucified in the garden, should He not know if it is not written about this (John 19:41)? I heard that He was sold for thirty pieces of silver, should I not test what prophet said about it (Matt. 26:15). If you have heard that He is drunk with vinegar, try where it is written about it (Mark 15:36). I have heard that His body is laid in a stone sepulchre, and the stone is placed on it, should we not have a prophetic testimony of this (Matt. 27:60). Thou hast heard that He was crucified together with the thieves, must you not know whether it is not written about this also (Matt. 27:38)? Having heard that He was buried, should I not know if it is not written accurately about the burial? I have heard that He has risen, should I not know if we are not deceiving you, teaching you these things" (Luke 26:34). For our word and our preaching are not in words that are contrary to human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4), we do not now offer refined wisdom for permission, we do not arm ourselves with words against words in order to refute them, but we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23) after He had already been preached by the prophets. And you, having received the testimonies, impress them on your heart. And since there are many of them, and there is not much time left, now listen as much as possible to some of the most important of them, and, taking them as a foundation, take care to find the rest yourself. For your hand must not only be stretched out to receive, but also ready to work. God bestows all things, for whosoever is lacking wisdom from you, let him ask of him who gives, God (James 1:5), and he shall receive. According to our prayers, may He also give us who speak the strength to do these things by deeds, and to you who hear to believe.

9. Let us, therefore, seek testimony to the suffering of Christ, for we have not gathered together to make a speculative exposition of the Scriptures, but rather to be convinced of what we already believe. Testimonies of the coming of Jesus thou hast heard before, as well as that He walked on the sea, for it is written, "In the sea are thy lows" (Psalm 76:20). And you heard the testimony of various healings at another time. So I begin with where the suffering began. Judas was His betrayer, and having come and stood against Him, spoke words of peace to Him, and prepared a hostile deed (Matt. 26:49). This is what the Psalmist says: "My friends and my sincere ones are right near to me and stand near to me" (Psalm 37:12). And in another place: "Their words are softened more than oil, and that is the essence of arrows" (Psalm 54:22). Rejoice, O Teacher! (Matt. 26:49), but betrayed the Teacher to death, was not ashamed of Him, Who, exhorting him, said to him: "Judas! whether thou didst betray the Son of Man with the kiss (Luke 22:48). It was as if He were saying to him: "Remember your name, Judas means confession, you have made a condition, you have taken the silver according to it, confess it without delay: O God! Thou shalt not be silent in my praises, for the mouth of a sinner and the mouth of a flatterer is opened against me, and hath spoken against me with a flattering tongue, and hateful words have made me common (Psalm 108:1-3). And that some of the bishops were present, and that He was bound before the gates of the city, you have heard before, if you only remember the explanation of the psalm, which speaks of the time and place when they returned to the evening (Psalm 58:7), and hungered like dogs, and went round the city (Psalm 58:15).

10. Hear also about the thirty pieces of silver: and the river to them: if there is any good before you, give me my reward, or renounce it, and so on. (Zech. 11:12). You must give Me a different payment for the healing of the blind and the lame, and yet I receive another. Do you see how the events are foretold in the Scriptures? And Thou hast given My reward thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12). What accuracy the prophets have! How great and infallible is the knowledge of the Holy Spirit! He did not say ten, lower than twenty, but exactly thirty, how many of them there were. Now tell me where this price is directed? Does the one who receives it possess it, or does he give it back? And if he did, where did it go? The prophet says: "And thou shalt receive thirty pieces of silver, and put them into the temple of the Lord in the furnace" (Zech. 11:13). Compare the Gospel with the prophecy; it says: Judas repented and cast down the pieces of silver in the Church, departed (Matt. 27:3, 5).

11. However, the doubt that presents itself to me here requires a precise solution. Those who reject the prophets say that the Prophet says: "And put them into the temple of the Lord in the furnace" (Zech. 11:13), and the Gospel: "And I gave them to the village of the poor" (Matt. 27:10). How can both be just, hear about this. These strict Jews, the bishops of that time, seeing that Judas repented, when he said, "Having sinned, having betrayed the blood of the innocent," said to him, "What shall we eat? thou shalt see (Matt. 27:4). Do you not care about those who crucify you? He who received the wages of murder and gave it back, will he see, but you will not see those who kill? Then they say among themselves: "It is not worthy to put them into corban, since there is a price for blood" (Matt. 27:6). Out of your mouth proceeds your condemnation. If the payment is unclean, so is the deed, and if you act justly in crucifying Christ, then why do you not accept the payment? But we need to prove that there is no disagreement when the Gospel says: the field is poor, and the prophet: the furnace. Not only goldsmiths have a furnace, and not only those who work copper have a furnace, but also poor workers have a poor furnace. For in order to cleanse the soft and fat, and necessary part of the earth from small stones, and to separate the useless dirt from it, they first pour water over the clay in the furnace in order to work the vessels without hindrance. What is there to be wondered at, if the Gospel says clearly: the field is poor, and the prophet prophesied divination, since the prophecy for the most part speaks divination?

12. They bound Jesus, and led him into the courtyard of the bishop. Do you want to know and see what is written about this? Isaiah says, "Woe to their souls! For the evil counsel was devised against ourselves, saying, Let us bind the righteous, for we have no need to eat (Isaiah 3:9-10). And truly, woe to their souls! Let's see why. Isaiah was sawn, but after that the people were healed. Jeremiah was cast into the mud pit, but the wound of the Jews was healed. For it was not so great, because their sin was against man. But now, since the Jews have sinned not against man, but against God incarnate, woe to their souls! let us bind the righteous. But could not, someone will say, loose Himself from the bonds of death of Lazarus for four days (John 11), and He who freed Peter from the iron bands of prison (Acts 12:7). The angels stand ready to stand, saying: "Let us loose their bonds" (Psalm 2:3), but they refrain from this, because the Lord wants to endure this. Then He was brought to the judgment seat before the elders. Thou hast already had a testimony to this: "The Lord Himself shall come to judgment from the elder of men, and from their princes" (Isaiah 3:14).

13. When the Bishop asks Him and hears the truth, he is indignant, and the evil servant strikes. And the face, shining like the sun, bore the blows of lawless hands, while others, having come, spit in the face of Him Who healed the blind man from birth with clay (Matt. 26:67). Is this what you repay to the Lord? what are the people of foolishness and foolishness (Deuteronomy 32:6)? The prophet, being amazed at this, said: "Lord! who believes in our hearing (Isaiah 53:1)? For it is an incredible thing – God alone, the Son of God, and the power of the Lord endures this. However, in order that those who are being saved may not have unbelief, the Holy Spirit first writes about this in the person of Christ, Who says, for the same One Who then spoke, afterwards appeared: "Splash My wounds upon the wounds" (Isaiah 50:6). For Pilate smote Him, and delivered Him up to be crucified (Mark 15:15). And ye shall not turn My face away from spitting (Isaiah 50:6); as if He were saying thus, foreseeing that I would be smited, I did not turn away My cheeks, for how would I have stirred up the disciples to death for the truth's sake, if I Myself had feared it? I said: "Thou shalt love thy soul, it shall destroy it" (John 12:23). If I valued My life, how would I teach this, without doing what I taught? For this reason He Himself, being God, first endured such sufferings from men, so that after that we would not be ashamed for Him to endure such sufferings from men. You see that the prophets have clearly written about this also. However, we leave many testimonies of Scripture because of the brevity of time, as I said before. For if anyone searches for everything with exactness, then not one of Christ's deeds remains without testimony.

14. Bound He went from Caiaphas to Pilate (John 18); Is it not written about this also? And having bound Him, He brought Him as a gift to King Jearim (Hos. 10:6). But some of the attentive listeners will object: Pilate was not a king; Therefore, leaving many searches, let us ask: How did those who bound Him give Him as a gift to King Jearim? But read what is written in the Gospel: when Pilate heard that He was from Galilee, He sent Him to Herod (Luke 23:7); and Herod was then king and was in Jerusalem. Take note of the Prophetic accuracy. Therefore He was sent as a gift; And Herod and Pilate were with them on that day, for they had enmity before. (Ibid., 12). For it was fitting for Him Who wants to reconcile heaven with earth, it was fitting for Him to be the first to reconcile those who condemned Him: moreover, the Lord Himself was present here, changing the hearts of the princes of the earth (Job 12:24). You see the accuracy of the prophets, and the truth of the testimony.

15. Marvel at the Lord who is judged; He endured when the soldiers led and drew Him. Pilate, who judged Him, sat, and He who sat at the right hand of the Father, endured, standing before Him. The people, freed by Him from the land of Egypt, and repeatedly freed from other countries, cried out against Him: "Take Him, take Him, crucify Him" (John 19:15)? Why, Jews? Is it because He healed your blind? Or because He healed the feet of your lame and did good deeds to others? So the Prophet, stricken with terror, also says of this: "Against whom do you open your mouth?" and against whom your tongue will be spoken" (Isaiah 57:4). And the Lord Himself said in the Prophets: "My inheritance shall be unto me, as a lion in an oak grove, and give His voice against me; for this reason thou hast hated it" (Jeremiah 12:8). It was not I who rejected them, but they themselves rejected Me. Therefore immediately say: "Leave my house" (Jeremiah 12:7).